Self-Efficacy and Locus of Control as Predictors of Academic Procrastination Among Undergraduates in a Nigerian

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of self-efficacy and locus of control on the procrastination behaviour of 300 undergraduate students from a Nigerian university. The participants responded to three valid scales (General Perceived Self Efficacy Scale, Locus of Control Scale and the procrastination scale). Data was analyzed using the Pearson product moment correlation and Multiple regression statistics. The result revealed that low self-efficacy and external locus of control was reported among majority of the participants. 81% (243) of the participants indicated high levels procrastination while the rest reported moderate to low levels. There was a significant positive relationship between locus of control and procrastination and a significant negative relationship between self-efficacy and procrastination. The two independent variables as a block and separately were effective in predicting procrastination among students. On the basis of these findings, it was suggested that education stakeholders should take into consideration the need to introduce into university curriculum content factors that would further assist students to acquire high self-efficacy and competencies to become internally motivated to have internal locus of control in order to minimize or manage procrastination behaviour.